Mrs. Thompson was sleeping when she heard the sound of breaking glass and footsteps. The local Fox affiliate in Philadelphia was first to get an eye-witness account from Maxine:
“First, I thought I was dreaming and then I looked out the window, outside. I was still hearing the banging, banging, banging, so I yelled to whoever, ‘Who’s that on my door? Get off my door, get off my door,’” Thompson explained.
She offered fair warning, with the security alarm sounding, but the brazen burglar didn’t pause. Instead, Thompson said he smasher her window and used backyard furniture to hoist himself inside her home. In the heat of the moment, the 70-year-old
grandmother grabbed her late-mother’s handgun and opened fire for the first time.
Reportedly as calm as a cucumber, Maxine later explained, “I shot at him,” she said, “He turned around and he ran and when he ran, I ran down the steps behind him and shot at him some more.” It was only later the 70-year-old said she got a little shaky when she realized he could have killed her.
According to police the 43-year-old suspect ran as far as he could with a gunshot wound, climbed on top of a car wash and called the police. He was then taken to the hospital for treatment and directly into custody.
But Mrs. Thompson, whose son is a police officer, had the last word:
“I hope I taught him and the rest of them a lesson. Stay the hell out of people’s houses.”
Indeed, Maxine. You showed this potential burglar a thing or two. So, keep your firearm locked and loaded and don’t let anyone pry it from your law-abiding hand.
